Footwear with an Integrated Donning Mechanism

ABSTRACT

A footwear with an integrated donning mechanism allows a user to put on a shoe and a sock without bending over or overexerting themselves. This is accomplished through the use of an at least one attachment mechanism. Each attachment mechanism includes a first interlocking element and a second interlocking element. The sock includes an outer contact surface connected in between a sock toe and an ankle band. The shoe includes an inner contact surface connected in between a shoe toe and a collar. The first interlocking element connects onto the outer contact surface. The second interlocking element connects onto the inner contact surface. When the sock is positioned within the shoe, the first interlocking element and the second interlocking element are engaged to each other, and thus fastening the sock to the shoe such that it is easier for the user put on the sock and the shoe.

The current application claims a priority to the U.S. Provisional Patentapplication Ser. No. 61/984,129 filed on Apr. 25, 2014.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to footwear. More specifically,the present invention is an alternative design for a shoe and a sockwhich allows the user to put on the sock and the shoes with minimalphysical exertion or bending.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The human body is prone to a variety of mental and physical conditionswhich affect, to a certain degree, the cognitive and physicalcapabilities of the person; one of the consequences of these conditionsis mobility restrictions. While minor mobility restrictions yield slightdiscomfort, the majority of the time that the individual is capable ofovercoming the limitations by themselves. More severe mobilityrestrictions, such as the restrictions caused by obesity and old age,require the individual to seek outside assistance even for the mosttrivial of tasks. As the baby boomers generation, people born between1946 and 1964, begin to reach elderly age above 60 years old and theobesity rate in the United States reaches an all-time high, the amountof individuals with limited mobile restrictions grow every day. Outsideassistance may be provided by a professional, close family member, or afriend; leaving the individual feeling helpless and weak. Additionally,professional assistance is quite expensive and difficult to obtain forcertain times and dates. One of the more prominent problems associatedwith relatively mild mobile restrictions is the inability to bend overto a functional degree. This limitation makes tasks such as putting onshoes and socks, an otherwise trivial task, difficult and strenuous. Aplurality of different products have been invented which allow users toeasily put on their shoes and socks, but the majority of those productsare just modifications of shoe horns which still require the user tobend over to some degree. Additionally, many of these devices aremulti-component devices which require a substantial amount of time toset up and are difficult and/or awkward to execute.

The present invention seeks to provide a product which allowsindividuals with mobility limitations to quickly and easily put on theirshoes and socks. Instead of focusing on means of inserting the foot intothe sock, the present invention proposes an alternative unique system ofanchoring a modified sock into the shoe and then simply inserting thefoot into said assembly. The present invention utilizes a sock with asemi rigid sole and a modified shoe to fasten the sock inside the shoeto create a more efficient solution when compared to prior art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the sock component of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the shoe component of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the present invention with a partial sectionalcut in the shoe, depicting the internal components.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the present invention with a partial sectionalcut in the shoe, depicting the positioning of the sock within the shoe.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the present invention, depicting the legsleeve component of the present invention.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describingselected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limitthe scope of the present invention.

The present invention is footwear with an integrated donning mechanism.More specifically, the integrated donning mechanism does not require theuser to bend over or over exert themselves. This is especially usefulfor individuals with physical disabilities that otherwise would requireexternal assistance. The present invention is an alternative sock andshoe design which allows a user to attach the sock to the shoe prior toinserting his/her foot. This feature allows the user to simply sliptheir respective foot into the sock and shoe assembly without bendingover and with or without partial assistance from a shoe horn.

Referring to FIG. 1 through FIG. 4, the present invention comprises asock 1, a shoe 7, and an at least one attachment mechanism 12. The sock1 is an apparel item designed to cover the human foot, most often timescomposed of linen or other similar cloth material. The sock 1 helpsabsorbs and wick away sweat produced by the foot as well as provideinsulation in cold environments to keep the foot warm and to reduce thechance of frostbite. The present invention may be used with a variety ofdifferent types of socks 1 including, but not limited to, men's socks,woman's socks, sport's socks, bobby socks, slouch socks, and knee socks.Additionally, the sock 1 may vary in length, size, color, and materialcomposition. Contrary to the sock 1, the shoe 7 is a more durablecovering for the human foot that protects the foot from environmentalhazards and provides comfort during movement and activities. The shoe 7may vary in size, length, color, material composition, and type. Shoe 7types include, but are not limited to, sneakers, loafers, chucks, dressshoes, and boots. The at least one attachment mechanism 12 is a meansfor attaching the sock 1 within the shoe 7 such that the user may inserthis/her foot within the sock 1 and therefore within the shoe 7. Each ofthe at least one attachment mechanisms 12 comprises a first interlockingelement 15 and a second interlocking element 16 which secure the sock 1within the shoe 7 with a strong enough hold that the user may slidehis/her foot in without dislodging or displacing the sock 1; the firstinterlocking element 15 is connected to the sock 1 and the secondinterlocking element 16 is connected to the shoe 7.

Referring to FIG. 1 the sock 1 comprises a sock toe 2, an ankle band 3,and an outer contact surface 4. The sock toe 2 is the closed off portionof the sock 1 that is designed to cover and protect the toes of a user.The ankle band 3 is the top portion of sock 1 which holds the sock 1 tothe user's leg and encircles the opening into which the users insertshis/her foot. The outer contact surface 4 is the external surface of amain body of the sock 1 and as such extends from the sock toe 2 to theankle band 3. The outer contact surface 4 directly engages the externalenvironment around the sock 1, most often times the shoe 7. The firstinterlocking element 15 is connected onto the outer contact surface 4 asseen in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the shoe 7 comprises a shoe toe 8, acollar 9, and an inner contact surface 10. The shoe toe 8 is the closedoff portion of the shoe 7 that is designed to protect the toes. Thecollar 9 is the rim which encircles the opening of the shoe 7 and theportion that constricts around an ankle of the user and holds the shoe 7in place. The inner contact surface 10 is the inside material of theshoe 7 which comes in direct contact with the sides of the foot, the topof the foot, and/or the rear of the heel. More specifically, the innercontact surface 10 extends from the shoe toe 8 to the collar 9. Thesecond interlocking element 16 is connected onto the inner contactsurface 10 as seen in FIG. 4.

To use the present invention, the user first inserts the sock 1 into theshoe 7 such that the first interlocking element 15 is engaged to thesecond interlocking element 16. More specifically, the sock 1 traversesinto the shoe 7 with the sock toe 2 being positioned adjacent to theshoe toe 8 as seen in FIG. 4. With the first interlocking element 15engaged to the second interlocking element 16, the sock 1 is securedwithin the shoe 7 the user then simply inserts his/her foot into thesock 1 and applies pressure downwards until the foot is fully inside thesock 1 and therefore the shoe 7; this step may require a shoe horndepending on the type of sock 1 and shoe 7 being used. In one embodimentof the present invention, a sole support 17 may be used to ensure thatthe sock 1 does not move while the user is putting on the sock 1 andshoe 7 assembly. The sole support 17 is a semi-rigid piece of materialthat is shaped to a sole 6 of the sock 1. The sole support 17 isintegrated into the sole 6 of the sock 1 such that when the sock 1 ispositioned within the shoe 7, the sole support 17 is positioned adjacentto an insole 11 of the shoe 7. The sole support 17 may also act as afoot orthoses that alters the characteristics of the shoe 7 to increasecomfort, promote proper blood circulation, and proper pressuredistribution. Various materials may be used for the sole support 17including, but not limited to, gel, rubber, plastic, and other similarmaterials. Additionally, the sole support 17 may partially or fullyextend across the sole 6 of the sock 1. Furthermore, the sole support 17may also contain padding in various regions to further facilitate acomfortable feel for the user.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the sock 1 further comprisesa leg sleeve 5. The leg sleeve 5 extends the sock 1 to cover the lowerportion of the leg for added coverage and or aesthetic appeal as seen inFIG. 5. The leg sleeve 5 is perimetrically and adjacently connected tothe ankle band 3. This positions the leg sleeve 5 externally to the shoe7. In this embodiment, two additional steps are required for the user tobut the sock 1 and shoe 7 on. The user would first roll the leg sleeve 5towards the ankle band 3, insert the sock 1 into the shoe 7, inserthis/her foot into the sock 1, and then roll the leg sleeve 5 up the legas seen in FIG. 5.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the at least one attachmentmechanism 12 comprises a toe attachment mechanism 13 and an ankleattachment mechanism 14. This embodiment fastens the sock 1 and the shoe7 at two different points, ensuring the sock 1 does not move while theuser inserts his/her foot. The toe attachment mechanism 13 fastens thesock toe 2 and the shoe toe 8 together. The first interlocking element15 of the toe attachment mechanism 13 is connected onto the outercontact surface 4, adjacent to the sock toe 2. The second interlockingelement 16 of the toe attachment mechanism 13 is connected onto theinner contact surface 10, adjacent to the shoe toe 8. When the sock 1 ispositioned within the shoe 7, the first interlocking element 15 and thesecond interlocking element 16 of the toe attachment mechanism 13 areengaged to each other. Positioning the toe attachment mechanism 13towards the front of the sock 1 and shoe 7 ensures the sock 1 is fullyextended inside the shoe 7 and that there are no crumpled regions.

The ankle attachment mechanism 14 fastens the ankle band 3 and thecollar 9 together. The first interlocking element 15 of the ankleattachment mechanism 14 is connected onto the outer contact surface 4,adjacent to the ankle band 3. The second interlocking element 16 of theankle attachment mechanism 14 is connected onto the inner contactsurface 10, adjacent to the collar 9. When the sock 1 is positionedwithin the shoe 7, the first interlocking element 15 and the secondinterlocking element 16 of the ankle attachment mechanism 14 are engagedto each other. This design fastens the two ends of the sock 1 to theshoe 7 and ensures ease of use for the user; when inserting the sock 1into the shoe 7, the first interlocking element 15 has little to noobstacles that get caught on. Alternative placement of the firstinterlocking element 15 and the second interlocking element 16 may alsobe utilized.

To properly insert the sock 1 into the shoe 7, the user first insertsthe sock toe 2 into the shoe 7 and attaches the sock toe 2 to the shoetoe 8 through the use of the toe attachment mechanism 13. Next, the useraligns the ankle band 3 to be coincident with the collar 9 and ensuresthat the sock 1 does not have any wrinkles or bent regions. Afterwards,the user attaches the collar 9 to the ankle band 3 through the use ofthe ankle attachment mechanism 14. The user is then able to inserthis/her foot inside the sock 1 and the shoe 7 simultaneously as seen inFIG. 4.

In alternative embodiments of the present invention, each of the atleast one attachment mechanisms 12 comprises a multitude of interlockingelements distributed about the outer contact surface 4 and the innercontact surface 10. The interlocking elements may be implemented in theform of strips, patterns, and other designs. Referring to FIG. 3, thepreferred at least one attachment mechanism 12 is a hook and loopfastening mechanism. Furthermore, it is preferred that the firstinterlocking element 15 is the loop portion of the hook and loopfastening mechanism and the second interlocking element 16 is the loopportion of the hook and loop fastening mechanism. Alternative fasteningmechanism may also be used for the at least one attachment mechanism 12including, but not limited to, buttons, friction strips, adhesive, andother similar mechanisms. In one embodiment, the at least one attachmentmechanism 12 is a multitude of reusable adhesive strips distributedabout the outer contact surface 4 and the inner contact surface 10.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferredembodiment, it is to be understood that many other possiblemodifications and variations can be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A footwear donning mechanism comprises: a sock; ashoe; an at least one attachment mechanism; the sock comprises a socktoe, an ankle band, and an outer contact surface; the shoe comprises ashoe toe, a collar, and an inner contact surface; each of the at leastone attachment mechanism comprises a first interlocking element and asecond interlocking element; the outer contact surface extending fromthe sock toe to the ankle band; the first interlocking element beingconnected onto the outer contact surface; the inner contact surfaceextending from the shoe toe to the collar; the second interlockingelement being connected onto the inner contact surface; the socktraversing into the shoe; the sock toe being positioned adjacent to theshoe toe; and the first interlocking element and the second interlockingelement being engaged to each other.
 2. The footwear donning mechanismas claimed in claim 1 comprises: the at least one attachment mechanismcomprises a toe attachment mechanism; the first interlocking element ofthe toe attachment mechanism being connected onto the outer contactsurface, adjacent to the sock toe; the second interlocking element ofthe toe attachment mechanism being connected onto the inner contactsurface, adjacent to the shoe toe; and the first interlocking elementand the second interlocking element of the toe attachment mechanismbeing engaged to each other.
 3. The footwear donning mechanism asclaimed in claim 1 comprises: the at least one attachment mechanismcomprises an ankle attachment mechanism; the first interlocking elementof the ankle attachment mechanism being connected onto the outer contactsurface, adjacent to the ankle band; the second interlocking element ofthe ankle attachment mechanism being connected onto the inner contactsurface, adjacent to the collar; and the first interlocking element andthe second interlocking element of the ankle attachment mechanism beingengaged to each other.
 4. The footwear donning mechanism as claimed inclaim 1 comprises: the sock further comprises a leg sleeve; the legsleeve being perimetrically and adjacently connected to the ankle band;and the leg sleeve being externally positioned to the shoe.
 5. Thefootwear donning mechanism as claimed in claim 1 comprises: a solesupport; the sole support being integrated into a sole of the sock; andthe sole support being positioned within the shoe, adjacent to an insoleof the shoe.
 6. The footwear donning mechanism as claimed in claim 1,wherein the at least one attachment mechanism is a hook and loopfastening mechanism.
 7. A footwear donning mechanism comprises: a sock;a shoe; an at least one attachment mechanism; a sole support; the sockcomprises a sock toe, an ankle band, and an outer contact surface; theshoe comprises a shoe toe, a collar, and an inner contact surface; eachof the at least one attachment mechanism comprises a first interlockingelement and a second interlocking element; the outer contact surfaceextending from the sock toe to the ankle band; the first interlockingelement being connected onto the outer contact surface; the innercontact surface extending from the shoe toe to the collar; the secondinterlocking element being connected onto the inner contact surface; thesock traversing into the shoe; the sock toe being positioned adjacent tothe shoe toe; the first interlocking element and the second interlockingelement being engaged to each other; the sole support being integratedinto a sole of the sock; and the sole support being positioned withinthe shoe, adjacent to an insole of the shoe.
 8. The footwear donningmechanism as claimed in claim 7 comprises: the at least one attachmentmechanism comprises a toe attachment mechanism; the first interlockingelement of the toe attachment mechanism being connected onto the outercontact surface, adjacent to the sock toe; the second interlockingelement of the toe attachment mechanism being connected onto the innercontact surface, adjacent to the shoe toe; and the first interlockingelement and the second interlocking element of the toe attachmentmechanism being engaged to each other.
 9. The footwear donning mechanismas claimed in claim 7 comprises: the at least one attachment mechanismcomprises an ankle attachment mechanism; the first interlocking elementof the ankle attachment mechanism being connected onto the outer contactsurface, adjacent to the ankle band; the second interlocking element ofthe ankle attachment mechanism being connected onto the inner contactsurface, adjacent to the collar; and the first interlocking element andthe second interlocking element of the ankle attachment mechanism beingengaged to each other.
 10. The footwear donning mechanism as claimed inclaim 7 comprises: the sock further comprises a leg sleeve; the legsleeve being perimetrically and adjacently connected to the ankle band;and the leg sleeve being externally positioned to the shoe.
 11. Thefootwear donning mechanism as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at leastone attachment mechanism is a hook and loop fastening mechanism.
 12. Afootwear donning mechanism comprises: a sock; a shoe; a toe attachmentmechanism; an ankle attachment mechanism; a sole support; the sockcomprises a sock toe, an ankle band, and an outer contact surface; theshoe comprises a shoe toe, a collar, and an inner contact surface; boththe toe attachment mechanism and the ankle attachment mechanism eachcomprise a first interlocking element and a second interlocking element;the outer contact surface extending from the sock toe to the ankle band;the first interlocking element of the toe attachment mechanism beingconnected onto the outer contact surface, adjacent to the sock toe; thefirst interlocking element of the ankle attachment mechanism beingconnected onto the outer contact surface, adjacent to the ankle band;the inner contact surface extending from the shoe toe to the collar; thesecond interlocking element of the toe attachment mechanism beingconnected onto the inner contact surface, adjacent to the shoe toe; thesecond interlocking element of the ankle attachment mechanism beingconnected onto the inner contact surface, adjacent to the collar; thesock traversing into the shoe; the sock toe being positioned adjacent tothe shoe toe; the first interlocking element and the second interlockingelement of the toe attachment mechanism being engaged to each other; thefirst interlocking element and the second interlocking element of theankle attachment mechanism being engaged to each other; the sole supportbeing integrated into a sole of the sock; and the sole support beingpositioned within the shoe, adjacent to an insole of the shoe.
 13. Thefootwear donning mechanism as claimed in claim 12 comprises: the sockfurther comprises a leg sleeve; the leg sleeve being perimetrically andadjacently connected to the ankle band; and the leg sleeve beingexternally positioned to the shoe.
 14. The footwear donning mechanism asclaimed in claim 12, wherein the at least one attachment mechanism is ahook and loop fastening mechanism.